We previously reported how The Canadian Broadcasting Company included the podcast “The Royal Teeth of Louis XIV“, an episode of Footnoting History by Christine Caccipuoti, on their list of “10 History Podcasts You Need to Hear.” The episode, produced by Fordham graduate alumna Christine Caccipuoti, went viral, and was downloaded more than 8,000 times. Right now, Footnoting History is the featured podcast on History Podcasts and on March 19, Footnoting History podcasters will be hosting an AMA (“Ask me Anything”) on Reddit.

Elizabeth Keohane-Burbridge is a Fordham Doctoral candidate and producer of Footnoting History

Footnoting History was conceived of by Fordham Doctoral candidate Elizabeth Keohane-Burbridge and the podcasts began in 2013. She told the Fordham News that “she started the series as a sort of “career plan B,” in case the coveted job of university professor eludes her upon graduation.” New episodes are released biweekly, and the various speakers bring to life quirky and interesting aspects of history that are often over looked. Some of their most recent episodes include: Apples in America, The Great Medieval Canon Law Forgery, and Sherlock Holmes in Popular Culture.

Footnoting History also offers five unique on-going ‘Special Series’. For those who love ‘man’s best friend’ you might enjoy the Doggy History series which includes episodes like Dogs: The Final Frontier and Mush! A Short History of Dog Sledding. The on-going specials also include Film History (with episodes like The Birth of the Blockbuster) Running History (the third episode is titled The Origin of the Marathon: Linking Past to Present), Revolutionary History (Empress Eugenie in Exile Part II: Life After Empire) and Medieval Conspiracy Theories (which features episodes like The Husband Killing She-Wolf of Naples).

The image above is used for the the Mush! Short History of Dog Sledding episode.

Elizabeth Keohane-Burbridge told the Fordham News, “We see ourselves as everyone’s quirky friend who always has a historical anecdote/reference whenever out socializing.” She credits the success of Footnoting History with the podcasts friendly conversational tone. She explains the team strives “not to sound like teachers” and that podcasters speak on a level that is understandable and yet not condescending to their audience. History podcasts and blogs are now a popular source for information and entertainment for students in secondary school and hobbyist historians.

Footnoting History is an exciting example of presents a unique and exciting opportunity for academic historians to share their love and passion for history with friends and family.

Congratulations to Elizabeth Keohane-Burbridge, Christine Caccipuoti and the entire Footnoting History team on a job well done. We certainly look forward to following their insightful podcasts.